Incandescent-electric-lamp holder and cut-out



no Model.)

C. HEISLER.

INOANDESOENT ELECTRIC LAMP HOLDER AND GUT-OUT.

,No. 380,202. Patented Mar. 27, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HEISLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

lNCANDESCENT-ELECTRlC-LAMP HOLDER AND CUT- OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,202, dated March27, 1888.

Application filed January 18, 1887. Serial No. 224,708. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HEISLER, of St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement inIncandescent-Electric-Lamp Holders and Out- Outs; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to incandescent electric lamps in series, and moreparticularly to mechanism for shunting the current when, from any cause,the lamp becomes inoperative.

It also includes an improved casing for the shunting mechanism andimproved insulating parts. The objects sought to be accomplished are,first, certainty in shunting the current when the lamp becomesinoperative; second, compactness and simplicity in the parts; third,economy of construction.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 represents aside elevation of my improved shunting mechanism,the case for inclosing the same being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation looking from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is also a sideelevation look-' ing from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents asection on line a: w of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A represents the tubular bracket or support forthelamp,through which the wires are led to the lamp. To this tube isscrewed a casting, B, consisting of a tubular shank having legs I) b,which are bolted to a thin disk, 0, of vulcanized flber or otherinsulating material. This disk forms a support for thelamp andintermediate parts, and serves also to insulate them, and the wires maybe readily led to the binding-posts D E, which are supported on the disk0 in line at right angles to that of legs b b; This allows the linewiresfrom the tubular shank to be brought.

laterally to the binding-posts. These posts are connected to and supportthe upper extension or pole-piece of the core of an electro-magnet, F.This core f is cast with extensions or polepieces 9 h, which are in theform of flanges at right angles to the axis of the core. The bind--ing-posts are extended and pass through the upper flange, g, the post Dbeing electrically connected to the flange by direct contact andmechanically by a nut, 1," on its lower end, and

it is held at proper distance therefrom by sleeves 2 and 3. The otherpost, E, passes through the flange 9, but is insulated therefrom. It ismade to support the flange by means of a nut, 4', between which and theunder surface of the flange is an insulating-collar, 5, on the post.

On the upper surface of the flange g is a piece, is, placed on the postE and in electrical connectiontherewith, but insulated from the flange gby a nonconducting plate, 6, and clamped between this plate and theupper disk by a non-conducting sleeve, 7. The piece forms a bearing forthe conducting and shortcircuiting springs Z and m, which are held onthe post D, being clamped by the sleeves, and in electrical connectionwith said post, so that when either or both of said springs l and m bearon the piece 70 the lamp is short-circuited. The spring I is raised by acam on the shaft of the thumb-piece n and forms the manual switch. Thespring m rests normally on an easilyfusible block, 0, which rests uponand in contact with the upper flange of the core near its edge. It isheld between apin, 8, and the end of the piece k, from which it isseparated electrically, preferably by a bit of paper.

The lower flange, h, of the core has a raised portion, h, in its lowersurface,-to which the socket 9 of the lamp-terminal is attached, thelower disk of vulcanized fiber, O, similar to the upper, being heldbetween this socket and the raised portion of the flange. This socketforms an electrical connection with the flange, and the circuit on thisside of the apparatus is from the line-wire through the binding-post D,the upper flange, the core, the lower flange, and the socket 9, to thelamp. On the other "side the post E extends down into a piece, p,

to which it is electrically connected, being held thereon securely by aset-screw. The electromagnetic core, with its extension, thus forms thesole connection between one of the lampterminals and thesupporting-bracket. The piece 1) abuts against the lower disk, and,extending inwardly toward its center, is fixed to the socket 10 forthelamp-terminal made to the socket 9. Thus when the thermal and manualswitches are open the circuit is through the post E, the piece 1), thesocket 10, the lamp, and the socket 9, to the line, as above described.

The principal reliance for short-circuiting the lamp in case of accidentthereto is the electromagnetic switch, the thermal, as above described,being intended to operate in case of failure of the electro-magneticswitch. The armature q, by which the switch is operated, is pivoted onthe edge of the upper flange, g, or pole of the electro-magnet, andhangs with its lower end in front of the edge of the lower flange orpole, from which it is normally held by a spring, 11. Its outer face hasnear one edge a lug adapted to catch and hold up the switch-lever, andnear the other edge a low curved flange,against which the end of saidlever bears to limit properly the outward movement of the armature. Theswitch-lever L is of special shape, fitted to its relation to the otherparts. It is approximately a half-ring. One end is pivoted on ahorizontal pivot in lugs on the edge of the lower flange, h. The leveris above its pivot,and is bent around the core and post E, and the freeend extends in front of the lower end of the armature and 0pposite thepivoted end. A spring, a, fixed to the flange g, bears on the outer faceof the pivoted end of the lever above its pivot, tending to force downthe free,end,and forming, also, electrical connections therewith. Thefree end of the lever is made to rest against the curved flange on theouter face of the armature, and when raised to rest upon the lug on saidouter face, the armature being pressed out to catch under the lever, asabove explained. This extreme end of the lever bears against the flangeon the armature, and when the parts are put together this end may bebent to adjust the armature properly to the pole of the magnet.

\Vithin range of the lever, as it drops when released by the armature,are spring contactfingers on the piece 19. IVhen the lever is down,these complete a shunt-circuit from the post E through the piecep to thelever L, and thence to the upper flange and post D, thusshort-circuiting the lamp. The lever might drop directly upon the piece1), or some equivalent connection between the post and sleeve 10; butthe yielding fingers form better connection. The switch acts as ordinaryelectromagnetic switches when the current is forced through the coil it,placed around the core.

The apparatus described is designed for lamps worked by an alternatingcurrent. Such a current when forced through the coils of anelectro-magnet heats first and, principally the core, and I havetherefore interposed the fusible block between the core extension orflange g and the thermal-switch-spring, so that on failure of theelectrical switch to act the melting of the block, due to rise oftemperature of the flange caused by the excess of current in the coil,may allow the thermal-switch spring to drop and close the short circuit.The coilconnections in the circuit are shown by wire 12, connected at 13to the upper flange, and wire 14, forming the other end of the coil,joined to the post E. The coil thus forms a circuit around the lamp, andwhen the lamp fails to act the current is forced through the coil, theconstruction and operation in this respect being well known. The coreand its flanges or extensions forming the poles I prefer to cast all inone piece for economy of construction; but whether thus cast in onepiece or of several connected pieces, they form the main frame-work forall the structure as well as the electrical connection in one part ofthe line. Further on the upper core extension or flange, g, is thebearing for the shaft by which the manual switch is operated, and onthis also the upper disk is supported, which is connected to the legs ofthe bracketconnection.

The'construction above described is such that the completed and unitedparts form a compact mechanism which may be inclosed in a cylindricalcase. This I form in two parts. The main case M is of cylindrical sheetmetal, and incloses the main body of the shunting mechanism. The upperpart is in the form of a cap, N, spun in the shape shown, and having ahole in the upper part fitting the tubular bracket. The lower part iscylindrical and fits over the upper part of the body M. In putting theparts up this is first slipped on the tubular bracket. Then the castingB is screwed on with the shunt mechanism attached, and the body M may bepassed up over this mechanism and connected to the upper part, N.

Thelower part of the casing I prefer to form of one piece with thecylindrical part by spin ning it in the form shown at P; but the flaringpart P may be formed separately and soldered to the part M. In the loweredge of this are ventilating-holes and screws for the lamp globe.

The easily-fusible block, as above described, is electrically separatedfrom the piece 7r, but is near to it, the separation being formed,preferably, of paper interposed. In case the spring switch connectionfail to operate through failure of the flange to melt the core, a sparkwill pass from the piece It to the block and melt it, thus causing theswitch to operate.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with an electric lamp and anelectromagnetic shunting mechanism, the core of which is directlyconnected to one ofthe lamp-terminals and forms a part of the circuitbetween that terminal and one of the linewires, and having its coil in acircuit around the lamp, a switch operated by the electromagnet andarranged to short-circuit the lamp, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with an electric lamp, a magnet-core the coils ofwhich are in shunt with the lamp-circuit, and having flanges on its endsacting as pole-pieces, the flange at one end being connected permanentlyto one of the lamp-terminals,the flange at the other end connected tobinding-posts, one insulated and the other uninsulated thereon,connections be tween the insulated post and the other 1ampterminal,whereby the lamp-circuit is formed through the core, and a magneticshunt operated by the armature of the electro-magnet ICC) when thelampfails to work, all substantially as described.

3. An electro-magnet having a core formed with flanged or extendedpole-pieces attached on one end to one of the terminals of a lamp,binding-posts upon the flange of the other end, with bracket-connectionsand with binding posts, one insulated from the flange and connected tothe other lamp-terminal, and the other uninsulated on the same flange, acoil about the core in shunt with thelamp-circuit, an armature hingedupon the flange of one end of the core and extending in front of theedge of the flange on the other end, a conductinglever arranged whendown to short-circuit the lamp and normally held up by a shoulder on thearmature, but arranged to be released when the armature is attracted tothe core, all substantially as described.

4:. In combination with an electric lamp and an electro-magnet, aswitch, one end of the core of the electro-magnet being rigidly con--nected to the bracket, as A, and the other end rigidly connected to thelamp, the core with its extensions forming the sole connection betweenone of the lamp-terminals and bracket, all substantially as described.

5. In combination with the upper and lower flanges of the core of themagneto electric switch, a socket for the lamp-terminal connecteddirectly to the lower flange and electrically connected to abinding-poston theupper flange, an extension of a second socket for thelamp-terminal electrically connected to the other binding-post, alsosupported on the upper flange, an insulating-disk at each end of theelectro-magnet, and supported thereon, substantially as described.

6. In combination with an electric lamp, an electro-magnet the core ofwhich formsa part of the permanent circuit of thelamp, the armature ofwhich controls a shunting-lever for short-circuiting the lamp, a flangeon one end of the electro-rnagnetic core, a manual switch and bearingfor the switch-key on said flange, all substantially as described.

7. In combination with an incandescentlamp, an electro-magnet having itscoil in shunt with the lamp-circuit, a flange on one end of the core ofthe magnet supporting a manual and a ther mal switch, anelectro-magnetic switch controlled by the armature of theelectro-magnet, and a fusible block interposed between the surface ofthe flange and the thermal switch, whereby under the influence of thealternating currents the block may be melted and the switch operated,all substantially as described.

8. In combination with the lamp, the electro-magnet and its armaturehinged on one flange of the core and extending before the other, aconducting-lever pivoted one side of the flange and extending around toa point opposite the free end of the armature and contact-piece incircuit, all substantially as described.

9. In combination with the lamp and the electromagnetic switch therefor,the coreof the magnet being in the lamp-circuit, a flange forming onepole of the electro-magnet, a binding-post fixed and insulated on theflange, and an extension of said binding-post to complete thelamp-circuit, an insulating-disk supported on the posts,and a shankhavinglegs attached to the disk, whereby the disk is connected to thebracket, all substantially as described.

10. In combination with the lamp, the electromagnetic switch therefor,the core of the magnet being in the lamp-circuit by means of abinding-post on a flange on one end of the core, and a raised portion ona flange at the other end of the core,to which the lamp-socket is fixed,and a binding-post and connections to complete the lamp'circuit, allsubstantially as described.

11. In combination with the pole-piece of the core of theelectromagnetic switch of an electric lamp, a fusible block resting onthe pole-piece and normally sustaining a springswitch out of contactwith a piece, is, which is in connection with the lamp-circuit andunderneath the spring-switch, the fusible block being located near, butseparated electrically from, the piece It, all as and for the purposeset forth.

12. A spring for the manual switch and a spring for the thermal switch,both combined with a single screw and with sleeves thereon,substantially as described.

13. In combination, the electro-magnet with its core and flanges, theautomatic short-circuiting lever pivoted upon the lower flange of thecore and bent around the core of the described cut-out, substantially asdescribed.

14.. In combination, the electro-magnet with its core and flanges, theautomatic short-circuitinglever arranged around the core, as described,and having its pivot upon the lower flange, and the spring 1", fixed tothe upper flange and bearing upon the lever above its pivot,substantially as described.

15. The combination, with the upper disk, ofthe cut-out mechanism, thebridge having a hollow boss, said bridge holding the disk and thecut-out mechanism to the pipe-fastening, and the wires passing throughthe hollow boss of the bridge and carried outwardly through the openingin the bridge to the hind ing-posts, substantially as described.

16. In combination with the lower flange of the iron core of thecut-out, a lamp-socket attached directly to said flange, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. HEISLER.

\Vitnesses:

M. L. COUNTRYMAN, PAUL F. OOS'IE.

